CAR rental in CALGARY
 

I am wondering if anyone has had any experiences with car rentals in Calgary. Are there any car agencies near U of Calgary?
Any recommendations or avoids?
I know Alamo in the US can sometimes be a problem. THANKS!

We recently got a 9-day mini-van rental at the Calgary Airport (which we'll use in August) through Hotwire for $404 American, including taxes and fees. It was the cheapest deal we could find. Don't know about U of Calgary locations.

Twenty nine day rental for a mini-van from Calgary airport for $916.00 total USD's. Unlimited miles through National's web site.
My brother got his mini-van for just under $800.00 total USD's unlimited milage for a 25 day rental off of Travelocity.com
I've been watching the rates for the last several months, and now's a pretty good time to rent a mini-van (at least it was two days ago). Most companies are offering unlimited miles, where there for several weeks, they all had restrictions and the rental fees where around $1100 or more for the same 29 days.

From the Calgary Yellow Pages, here are some car rental locations that are close or fairly close to the university (the N.W. in the address tells you that it's located in the same quadrant of the city as the university):

Budget, 1740 - 16 Ave. N.W., Tel. (403) 266-1550 or 1-800-268-8900

Discount, 16th Ave. & 14th St. N.W., Tel. (403) 299-1219 or 1-866-310-2277 (ad states free pick up service)

Enterprise, 5100 Shaganappi Trail N.W., Tel. (403) 216-3346 or 1-800-736-8222 (ad states free pick up service)

Thrifty, 1012 - 16th Ave. N.W., Tel. 403) 239-5824 or 1-800-847-4389

Hertz, 4720 Crowchild Trail N.W., Tel. (403) 221-1676 or 1-800-263-0600 or 2100 - 14th St. N.W., Tel. (403) 221-1676

Avis, 8220 Bowridge Cres. N.W., Tel. (403) 253-2847 or 1-800-879-2847 (Although this location is in the north west, it's not that convenient to the university. It would be better to hop on the train and go to their downtown location at 211 - 6th Ave. S.W., Tel. (403) 269-6166.)

Dollar, 1012 - 16th Ave. N.W., Tel. 239-4584 or 1-800-800-4000

Alamo, located only at the airport in the north east quadrant, Tel. (403) 543-3985

National has nothing in the N.W. Best location for you would be downtown at 114 - 5th Avenue S.E., Tel. (403) 263-6386 or 1-800-227-7368

Rent-A-Wreck, ad states north west location, but does not provide address, Tel. (403) 277-8540 or 1-800-327-0116

If you do a Google search for CHEAP CAR RENTAL + CALGARY, you find websites like FIND RENTAL CARS, where you can plug in what you want (dates, car size, etc.), and then the site lists rental car companies that have can fulfill your request and at what rates:

http://www.rental-car.us/Calgary/che...ry-Alberta.php

Travelocity, which Hibiscushouse mentioned, is another company that enables you to compare rates.

Strange as it may seem, I have not heard any complaints about local rental car companies. At my office, people rent vehicles from Budget, Avis, Hertz, National and a friend of mine was happy with her rental from Rent-A- Wreck.

I haven't heard any feedback about Discount, Enterprise, Thrifty, Dollar, and Alamo (other than the fact that Laura will be using Alamo in August).

For any Americans reading this post, I cannot guarantee that the toll free numbers provided above would work from the U.S. They may or may not. As far as I know, WhyNot is coming here from Ontario.

Judy gave you a good list.
I cannot add to it at all.

I have rented ONLY at the airport, and only from Hertz and Avis. But I have used both companies multiole times. I stick with those two because they don't give me a hard time of it on return, and the check in is a breeze. Last year my receipt was being handed to me before I turned the engine off.
I think you will find Calgary a great place to visit.

With all the really good companies in Calgary, don't go with a potential problem.

Now for a warning: If you are an American, and drive your Canadian rental to the US, HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM THE RENTAL COMPANY THAT SAYS IT KNOWS YOU ARE GOING TO THE US.

I have gotten the 3rd degree at the border more than once because I was an American driving a Canadian car.
I knew I was in for it when the border guy looked at my passport and then asked the winning question of the year:
What is your name?

Next winning question. With rental contract in hand, "Whose car is this?"
"Why is an American driving a Canadian car?" "Why did you fly into Calgary?"
"How are you getting home?" (By that time, I had handed him my return ticket on Northwest.) "Why are you driving to the United States?"

And we sort of went downhill from there.
Perhaps I should have a contest. Which of the following is the winner:

Assuming that the border patrol agent has your passport in his hand, which one of these questions is the most brilliant and perceptive:

1. What is your name?
2. Where were you born?
3. Why are you crossing the border?

With rental contract in hand?

1. Whose car is this?
2. How long have you had it?
3. Where did you get the car?

Treat these as two sets and tell me which one is the most brilliant, penetrating question.

Hi Bob,

I can only imagine how a U.S. border guard would react if someone presented him/her with a rental contract from Rent-A-Bomb.;)

Fair dinkum, that is Australia's equivalent of Rent-A-Wreck:

http://www.rentabomb.com.au/

You know, you have a good point there. The names Hertz and Avis torque up the border guards enough as it is.
I can only imagine what rent a bomb would do.

I have ofen wondered what would have happened to the driver of that pyschedelic VW van who told the Canadians that he had enough liquor to get all the Indians drunk and enough boom boom to blow up that end of Alberta IF he had been going the eother way!! I bet he would have been taken off in chains and a straight jacket.

But I am not trying to be funny about the permission deal. When you have to deal with people who look at a yellow and black Hertz rental contract and ask "Whose car is this?", you know you are in for it.

People think I am making that stuff up. I assure you I am not.
It has happened more than once.

Thanks so much for all the info. I only need the car from Sat to Wed. Any additional ideas?